Automatic feeder of mill-waste fuel for domestic heating plants



Feb.` 22, 1927. l I",6l8,501

'L T WOODRUFF AUTOMATIC FEEDER 0F MILL WASTE FUEL FOR DOMESTIC HEATINGvPLANTS Filed July 26, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 #We/77ans: /Jaad Z'Wand/'Uff Ftb. 22', 1927. 1,618,501

l. 1'. wooDRu-r-Fj AUTOIATIC FEEDER 0F HILL WASTE FUEL FOR DOMESTICHEATING PLANTS Filed July 26, 19.26l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 hive/17ans:

a ha r wauw/f 1,618,501 Feb. zz. 1927. L T WOODRUFF UQIATIC FEEDER OFlHIM.. WASTE FUEL FOR DOMESTIC HEATING PLANTS Filed July 26, v1926 4Sheets-She'et 4 Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED 's'rn'rns ISAAOT. WOODRUFF, or PORTLAND, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER OE MILL-WASTE FUEL FR DOMESTIC HEATING PLATS.

Application filed uly 26,

The ect of my device isto providesuitable mechanism adapted forapplication to furnaces and fire boxes primarily for use as domesticheating units. The device consists Y primarily of a feeding hopperladapted to being raised and lowered by a lever mechanis'm to facilitatethereilling of the same, the primary hopper, having suitable mechanismdisposed in the bottom thereof to shut io off the flow of fuel therefromduring'the re? filling process. A secondary hopper is disposedimmediately below the primary hopy per and in registering alignmenttherewith 'and is secured to the furnace door in such a i5 manner thatasthe furnace door is opened about its hinged support the secondaryhopperis carried out ofregistry with the primary hopper. Y t l Afurthervobjectof my invention consists in supporting the primary hopperaboutlink f supports in such a manner that the primary hopper may belowered to .facilitate-the fillingof the samej My new and improveddevice is intended primarily for usevin the burning of saw mill waste,hog fuel and saw-dust. Fuel of this character is loose and notcompact,and is 'rathervoluminous in its generaly characteris-v tics andrequiresva primary hopper of substantial magnitude to hold a suflicient quantityto obviate constant attention.

Y Still further objects of my invention consist in theplacing of a flowdamper in the primary. hopper thatl is adapted to manual manipulationfor the purpose of regulating the flow of ,the material thereapast andinto the fire boX.

Additional objects of my invention consist in the placing Within thefire box of grate mechanism adapted to permit of the entrance of airthrough the base of the mass of* fuel during the burning of the same tofacilitate the combustion of the fuel and t0 create a live fire at alltimes.

Additional objects of my invention consist in providing means wherebythe fuel to be consumedis deposited centrally of the burning area. v

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and combination of parts, theessential elements of Vwhich are set forth in the appended claims and apreferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with`reference tothe draw- 192s. serial No. 125,100.

ings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side elevation of the assembled device, thehopperk container is shown in full line position in place ready for use.The same is shown in dotted position as Vbeing lowered and adapted forbeing filled with a new supply of fuel. .v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. f

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partiallyinsection, illustrating the device1n place upon a furnace and illustrating the application of the same. 1L y Fig. 4 is a cross sect-ion view, taken Ion line ll-lldof Fig. 8,looking in the direction indicate Fig. 5 isa top plan view, of a platetobe inserted withinthe furnace wherein the fur-v nace is designed for.hard fuel, as coal or wood,- and is designed to prevent'the fuel fallingthrough the grates of the ordinary furnace. A rim disposed on theunderside ofthe plate raises the plate free fromthe grate disposedtherebetween.

Fig. l6 is a sectional side elevation of a preferred form of embodimentof myv device illustrated in position upon the furnace,

adapted for use of hard fuel orwfor mill waste fuel.

y Fig. Tis a cross section view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, looking inthe direction indicated.

Fig. 8 is a front` elevation of a furnace .havingV one-of'my Vnew andimproved devices attached theretol and in po'sitionfor` use.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the same mechanism illustrated in Fig.'8,with the front kdoor of the furnace open and the lower mechanism of mydevice in position for the' inspection of the inside of the furnace,orfor the admittance of fuel into the fire box.

Fig..l0 is a perspective view of a new and improved draft and gratemechanism adapted to facilitate the -burning of fuels of the characterintended for use in my device. The same shown removed from the fire box.

Like reference charactersl `refer to like vparts throughout the severalviews.

The furnace shell is shown at l, having an interna-l lfire .box2disposed within the shell structure. y Grates of the `usual andordinary type are shown at 3. If the fire box is of the circular type,or in certain furnace structures, I have found that best results areobtained when l place within the furnace and disposed immediately abovethe grate a plate l, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 5. I, place aseries of holes (l, through the plate to facilitate the passing of airtherethrough during' the burning process to facilitate the even passageof air through the fuel duringr the burning of the fuel. Mill wastefuel, or the so-called hog fuel islg'enerally delivered directly fromthe mill to Nthe user thereof and carries a large percentage of moistureand is more or less coinpact and it therefore becomes quiteessontial tofacilitate r nnbustion. This is best, accomplished by providing;l meansfor the admittance of air throiugh the fuel mass evenly over the fuelarea.

.l have found in the -lire box.` as illustrated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.that a tiltingl secondary grate :fi` will also facilitate combustion andat the saine time will maintain a lire tire at all times Within the lirebox. In other types of furnaces l have found that bestresults areobtained when a girate strueture, as illustrated in Fig. (l, Fig. 7, andFig.` 10, is used. An elongated grate 7, is placed centrally of the,tire box having a substantially horizontal central section 8, andliaving disposed at either side of the central section slopingsideAialls 9, and having-` an upwardly inclined grate surface1l),`t`lisposed at the forward end thereof; a second grate surface 11,is disposed therebeneath,` best results beine' obtained when the airpassages 5l through the side Walls. pass through in a substantiallyhorizontal alignment. Disposed immediately below thelpolnt ot dischargefrom the feeding lioppe andinside the fire door entrance, I place arearwardlyv inclined grate surface 12.`ha\fing a rather coarse serios ofslots 13. The object of grato surface 121 is two-fold lirst, tofacilitate combustion and second to distribute and'deposit the mass offuel to be used as nearly centrally of the fire box as possible bygravity means. The primary hopper 1l.` must be of substantial volumebecause of the character of fuel to be consinned"Without the constantattention of refilling. A shutoltl slide le, is disposed through thebase of the hopper to prevent the `free flow offuel therefrom during thefilling" process or during such time that the secor'ldaijT` feeding`hopper may be swung fro`1n^out `of registry-with the primary hop per." iThere an extremely loirhre room ceiling` is encountereth or where `thetire box door is extreinelyhigh. or for other reasons it may benecessary to raise `and lower the primary hopper 14:, during the fillingprocess, or at other times. This is" accomplished by;l supporting thehopper 1s, about the linl: supports 17; and` infhinged relationshiptherewith; An operating lever 18, is directly secured to the shaft 19,and as the lever 18 is lowered, the hopper is "first raisedsutlicientlyto release the same `beyond the central position and as the leverfurther lowered, the hopper is then moved forward and lowered at thesame time, as is illustrated in the dotted position, illustrated inFig. 1. rlhe shaft i9 is journaled in the bracket support 20. A link 21connects the operating lever 1'8 with the link 17. The link 17 isliournalod about the journal shaft 22,Whieh is .supported about thelaracketnim 23. A

sccoi'ulary hopper2el is secured to the fur nace door and is adaptedtobe swung therewith, as the furnace door is opened o1" closed. As thefurnaeedoor is openedor closed, the secondary hopper is swungl into andout of registry with the priniaryfeedingl hopper. il shaft 2li,` isdisposed across the secondary l'iopper and an operating lever securedthereto.` The operating loyer has a detent `disposed thereupon andadaptcdto register' Withthe quadrant28. also secured to the cross shaft2G, lis a feed ingr damper 2S) that is adapteditobe manipulated, andraised or lowered through the action" of 'the operating lever 275 Ashield plate 30 placed `directly above the damper 29 and at such anangle asto facilitate the deposit ofthe fuel tliereujfion with as littleresistance as possible.` The raising and low-` crine' of the feeding`damper 29 `regulates the: freedom of lloW of the fuel into the `tirebox; l have found that best `results areobtained when the side walls andthe front Wallsof the primary hopper are inclined to a eommon point andwould moet at a coininon point if extended. (lombustionis furtherregulated by the placing of anair inletpipe :il in the lire box. i1lllhile the form of iiieohanism herein `shown and described iuadmirably adapted to fulh lill the ottici-ls priniarily stated; it is tobo` understood that it is not intended toconfine the invention to theone "foriilof enibodiment herein shown and describedg* aslitis susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming; within the scopcof theclaims which follows: i i

lllliat 4l cl aim :w-

l. ln combination in a new and improved automate? feeder of millWasteffuel for do meetic heating plants ofa primaryhoppen means forraisiirm` and loweriirg,r said" primary hopper, a slidable eut olfdisposed `across-the base o'tthe priniary hopperpa secondary hopperdisposed in registering* alignment with the primary hopper andadaptedltoheini;y .invano into and out ofregistryivit-h the primary hopper, afeedingldainper disposed lin thesecoudary hopperwand an oper-` atinglevf and a quadrant adapted to man ual manipulation `to regulatethefeeding damper. i f

2. In eoml'iination `in a aiew and` improved automatic feeder of millwaste fuel for domestic heating plants, of a primary hopper havingsloping front and side walls, lever means for raising and lowering saidprimary hopper, a slidahle out off disposed across the hase of saidhopper, a secondary hopper secured to the furnace door of the furnace,in registering alignment with the primary hopper, and adapted to beingswung into and out of registry with the primary hopper, a feeding damperadapted to manual manipulation disposed within the secondary hopper andmeans adapted to maintain the feeding damper in placed position.

3. In combination in a new and improved automatic feeder of mill wastefuel for domestic heating pla-nts of primary and secondarv hoppers inregistering` alignment with each other, independent means for swingingeither of the hoppers out of alignment and registry with the other,damper regulating means disposed in each hopper, grates adapted todeposit the'fuel as fed suhstantially centrally of the fire boX of thefur-- nace and a secondary grate rearwardly inclined disposed above theprimary grates of the furnace. I

4. In combination in a new andimproved automatic feeder of mill wastefuel for domestic heating plants of primary and secondary feedinghoppers in registering alignment with each' other, independent means formoving either of the hoppers out of registry with the other, meansdisposed in each hopper adapted to restrict the flow of fuel therefrom,grate means disposed at the point of discharge from the secondary hopperadapted to deposit the fuel substantially centrally of the lire box anda grate'liaving a substantially horizontal central section havingsloping sidewalls and horizontal draft slots disposed central of t-hefire looX.

5. In combination in a new and improved automatic feeder of mill wastefuel for domestic heating plants of primary and seoondary feedinghoppers in registered alignment with each other, independent means formoving either of the hoppers out of registry with the other, a damperregulator disposed in' each hopper and an elevated grate sectiondisposed within the 're hoX at the point of discharge of the fuel fromthe secondary hopper into the fire box.

ISAAC T. WOODRUFF.

